Brussels 13 March 2025: Today, the European Parliament has backed EFFAT’s demand for an EU Directive to tackle the exploitation of workers in subcontracting chains and labour intermediation in the report
The motion for a resolution ‘Social and employment aspects of restructuring processes: the need to protect jobs and workers’ rights’ marks an important step in the fight against abusive subcontracting practices and unregulated labour intermediaries. EFFAT now expects concrete actions from the Commission.
The adopted resolution incorporates EFFAT’s key demands for a comprehensive framework Directive that clearly defines employers’ obligations in subcontracting chains and the role of labour intermediaries across Europe to ensure decent working conditions and the respect of worker’s rights. The text calls for robust measures to regulate the role of labour intermediaries—beyond temporary work agencies—and to introduce an EU-wide legal framework to limit subcontracting abuses. Crucially, it also demands joint and several liability throughout subcontracting chains, to end abusive subcontracting.
“Abusive subcontracting practices and unregulated labour intermediation are a major source of exploitation and dumping in the EFFAT‘s and many other sectors of the economy. Millions of invisible workers expect urgent change. Today’s vote is a critical step in the right direction. Now it is urgent for the Commission to act with a binding initiative” said EFFAT General Secretary Enrico Somaglia.
EFFAT welcomes this important vote and remains committed to pushing for swift action from the European Commission.
Wiebke Warneck, Political Secretary responsible for the Food Sector said: “From the meat sector to hospitality and agriculture abusive subcontracting and unregulated labour intermediation are major sources of exploitation and unequal treatment. The European Parliament’s support brings us closer to meaningful change.”
While welcoming the support for a Directive on subcontracting and intermediaries EFFAT regrets that the resolution did not endorse a Directive on Just Transition and that other key aspects—such as the call for Member States to ensure 80% collective bargaining coverage—were not supported.
EFFAT’s demands on subcontracting and intermediaries [Link to EFFAT’s Policy Brief: EN, FR, ES, BG].
Joint Paper from EFFAT, EFBWW, and ETF [Link to Joint Paper: EN].
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